In fact, you know how the Muslims are constantly saying 'there's no god but Allah and Mohammed was his prophet'? Fuck that Bullshit. There's no God but Rock'N'Roll and he has MANY prophets, none quite as AWESOME as KISS.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

It's no secret that I don't trust the government and consider them to be the greatest threat to the freedom and civil liberties of all citizens. What is not generally known is why. It wasn't my time in the Army. It wasn't just reading history books. It wasn't even seeing Congress and President Bush pass a terrible law shortly after 9-11 that infringes on us all. (i.e. the USA PATRIOT Act.)

No, it actually happened a lot earlier. I was made aware of this by, of all things, a form of popular entertainment: an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that first aired in 1991 called 'The Drumhead.' I was only 9 years old at the time but, I still got the message loud and clear. I might have been a rather clever young boy but, I give all the credit for that to the writers. That show had some truly excellent writers.

Anyway, not only is it a story that was very clearly used to make a political point, it was also my first real lesson in McCarthyism. It starts out as legitimate suspicion of various ne'er-do-wells and turns into a witch hunt. Suddenly, anyone who isn't singing the same proverbial tune as the Grand Inquisitor/Joe McCarthy/whoever is accused of being traitorous, disloyal or in league with the Devil. Oftentimes, that isn't even close to being the truth.

I'll let this YouTube clip from the episode itself explain what I mean...

See how Admiral Satee tried to use ANYTHING she could to make Picard look bad? That's what happens when you let government get too big. Overzealous individuals looking for conspiracies that aren't there somehow get into a position of authority and misuse it to menace people that cross them.

'With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech
censured...the first thought forbidden...the first freedom
denied--chains us all irrevocably.' - Captain Jean-Luc Picard

^^^Spoken like a true scholar and champion of Justice, Captain. And that is why you were one of my childhood heroes.

On this day in 1981, Donkey Kong, a video game created by Nintendo, is released. It features 'Jumpman' (later re-named 'Mario') as the player character.

It was on this day that I saw Kiss in concert for the first of three times, at the Louisiana Superdome. I was 14 at the time. I joined the Kiss Army that night. Here's a poster advertising that particular concert...

It was on this day in 2010 that I passed that last PT test in AIT for the United States Army... and witnessed something of a miracle in the process...
(It's a LONG story...)

It's also my last day as a soldier in the U.S. Army since my terminal leave ends today. Thank God that I made it out alive and in one piece.

"I'm not talking about a new console... but, like,
a watch. A gamified watch. It's not what we are going to do, but think
about [something like] that," he said. This isn't to say Atari is
necessarily planning to release a watch with its name on it, as Chesnais
added, "Like a new type of watch is something we 'could do.' A watch,
branded, where you don't have an 'ordinary watch.'"

Chesnais
thinks Atari would have a chance with something like this because,
unlike defunct publisher THQ, which he singled out, Atari is "a
generational brand" and "a lifestyle brand."

"To
give you another idea of something we could do, you have a jacket. We
have a plug-in so you can power your iPhone or Android. You had a solar
chip on your shoulder so that you power... so that you never run out of
batteries," he explained. "Things like this. Would you buy an Atari
watch? Would you buy an Atari Jacket that you could plug and repower
your iPhone or whatever device you are using? I think you would... I
think you would."

I'm confused by this article. If Atari wants to get back into
hardware, then make a console or a portable. As much as I love Atari,
it's a virtual guarantee that I would support a new Atari system. I don't care about a jacket or a watch with the Atari logo on it that can recharge my phone or iPod. As for being a 'lifestyle brand'... Yeah... That's just people that are giving free advertising to some company.

When I think of Atari, I think of games and fun. I do not think of clothing items or personal electronics that don't play games. Quit fucking around with my childhood and just get back to making games, guy.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

First, I'll let the YouTube personality known as AlphaOmegaSin have his profanity-laden rant.

And now, I offer my thoughts on the subject, some of which echo his...

Things I'd change if I owned GameStop

1.) I'd lower the prices on the used games. There's no reason why I'd pay $17 for a used PS3 game that I found new for only $10 at a Wal-Mart several months ago. Yes, that did happen yesterday when I stepped into GameStop for eShop and PS Store gift cards. I doubt that Midway Arcade Origins is really in that high of a demand.

2.) THOSE DAMNED PRICE TAG STICKERS HAVE TO GO!!! It shouldn't take me having to use Goo-Gone to remove them. Also, anyone that puts price tags on the cover insert will be fired ASAP.

3.) Every GameStop that I have seen in the last several years seems to be all about the so-called 'console war' between Sony & Microsoft. They dedicate only a small amount of shelf space to Nintendo. That Bullshit needs to end. They had more shelf space for that Disney Infinity crap than the Wii U and 3DS combined. WTF? Is it because of the small space that most GameStop stores are usually stuffed into or, are they just Anti-Nintendo? Either way, that hurts their chances of emptying my wallet. EPIC FAIL.

4.) Start offering reasonable rates for trade-ins and take games/systems/accessories for older systems that are no longer on the market. (i.e. 'retro games') There is a considerable amount of money in retro games. That's why retro game stores exist. ALL the old stuff must be tested and proven to work before the store can make a reasonable offer.

5.) Speaking of retro game stores, they all do something (well, actually MANY things) that GameStop doesn't: They often have Arcade machines. If you have the arcade games, you can organize tournaments that have prizes like free games, gift cards, et al. That attracts lots of potential customers. Retro game stores will also do this with fighting games on consoles. (Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros., et al.)

6.) Let consumers try a game BEFORE they buy at the display kiosks. Also, do not EVER open a new game, even if they want to try it first. That is why you should have a demo copy around. New games that are opened are not new anymore. Like a new car, the moment it drives off the lot, it's now used.

7.) That 'Game Informer' magazine is pointless. Thanks to the internet, ALL game magazines are pointless now. Put those articles on the website instead. Why do you think Nintendo quit publishing Nintendo Power?

8.) Trying to re-sell a used game you bought for $20 at a $45-55 is price-gouging and just plain stupid. Your customers know what you're doing and it does hurt your business. THIS REASON AMONG ALL OTHERS IS THE #1 REASON I BUY MOST OF MY GAMES FROM AMAZON, NEW OR USED.

9.) Speaking of Amazon, another reason I go there is because they charge a LOT less. The same already opened but still called 'new' PS Vita game that Game Stop tries to sell for $40 is often sold by Amazon STILL FACTORY SEALED for $20. I can wait for it to come in the mail a few days later if it saves me $20. (And there won't be any shipping costs since I make sure to buy enough stuff to make the cut off for 'FREE Super Saver' shipping...)

10.) I have looked at the prices for the few retro games that are available from the Gamestop's website. Yeah... These people must be smoking crack if they think those prices are anything but laughable. A copy of Super Mario Bros. for the NES, one of the best-selling and most common games ANYWHERE ON EARTH, is not worth the $45 they were asking for on the site. I don't care if it's complete in box and factory sealed. And the amount of points from GameStop's Power Rewards card/club/whatever that someone would have to use to buy one of the cheap shitty games is just unbelievable.